Dan Parks to Perth?

[ChargerWA]

Alanis Morisette would have a field day with this one.

 

[cyclopath]

Alanis Morisette would have a field day with this one.

A black fly in JO'N's chardonnay?

 

[mark_s]

Let's not forget that we are talking about 2013, not 2012, and he turns 34 in May 2012.

Ageist If your good enough, your young enough.

Cardiff's season finishes at end of May, he could easily play the lasty four rounds this year, possibly more depending on how cardiff are travelling.

 

[redstragic]

The forces forwards are going to be awesome this year. I far as i can see they are all fit and are going to cause some real damage to opposition teams. They just need a back line that can compliment. I like to idea of developing youngsters behind a pack like this.

Am I a long way of the mark?

 

[Moses]

I feel this issue is bigger than Dan Parks and Michael Lipman. Will Adam Byrnes now require a marquee position as well?

There are two principles here regarding the marquee system that we should reconsider:
1. We shouldn't arbitrarily handicap our teams. No-one stops the Sharks bringing in Frederik Michelak for the tail end of last years' competition (granted he was only one so would have been permitted under Australian rules, I'm sure there are other examples).
2. If the marquee system is designed to ultimately strengthen the Wallabies, does preventing our "other Internationals" from sharing their experiences at the end of their careers achieve this goal? Is it fair to prevent Australians from working in Australia?

 

[qwerty51]

It's their choice to play for other countries, maybe they should consider this next time. I don't like how Byrnes for example is allowed to play for Russia through some flimsy connection there. I think he mentioned he had never even been to Russia or spoke the language. How does he share any identity to Russia? It's a bit of a joke imo.

 

[suckerforred]

Let's not forget that we are talking about 2013, not 2012, and he turns 34 in May 2012.

I sometimes think we get held up on the age thing a bit much. Was told yesterday 'If he is good enough, then he is old enough' when talking about a youngester, so why would it not be true for an elder statesman. Having said that then I supose you have to consider injuries and potiental length of playing. I wonder however if players such as Dan would actually provide some stability to the teams, i.e. not likely to play internationals, less likely to want to move, therefore be able to bring so experience, education and calm to the team. Even if it is only for 1 or 2 years.

Either way some of the rules imposed by the ARU on the Oz Conference that are not on the NZ or SA teams just sucks.

 

[suckerforred]

It's their choice to play for other countries, maybe they should consider this next time. I don't like how Byrnes for example is allowed to play for Russia through some flimsy connection there. I think he mentioned he had never even been to Russia or spoke the language. How does he share any identity to Russia? It's a bit of a joke imo.

Russian Grandparents. I remember talking to an Australian who played for another country and asked him this question. Answer - 'I figured I didn't have the opportunity, and wasn't going to get the opportunity, to play for the Wallabies but still wanted to play international Rugby.' Now, for this bloke it was probably the case. I hope that Byrnes thought about that when he was making the decision as well, as he will now not be able to play for Aust in the future. Joke - not sure.

What I think is going to be a problem though is if more and more players make the decision to play for other countries, and I can see it happening with some of the politics that swirl around rugby in Aust, are we going to end up with a situation where bloody good players are forced overseas out of our competition because they are now seen as 'Marquee' signings. How do we fix this? Not sure. I can see what the ARU is trying to acheive, but I just don't know if in the big picture it will be successful.

 

[qwerty51]

Wanting to play international rugby doesn't cut it, you should share the national identity of the team you're playing with and have pride in the jersey, international rugby is little about a job and more about passion for the jersey than club rugby.

 

[Lee Grant]

Worse than being old I don't think he's that good - for the kind of rugby needed in Super Rugby.

 

[GaffaCHinO]

Maybe it should be that if you hold a Australian Passport you then are not classed as a marquee player regardless if you have played for another country.

 

[suckerforred]

Wanting to play international rugby doesn't cut it, you should share the national identity of the team you're playing with and have pride in the jersey, international rugby is little about a job and more about passion for the jersey than club rugby.

Maybe they do. I am about 5th generation Aussie, but still identify with Ireland.

Worse than being old I don't think he's that good - for the kind of rugby needed in Super Rugby.

Fair enough then.

Maybe it should be that if you hold a Australian Passport you then are not classed as a marquee player regardless if you have played for another country.

Sounds good. Even sensible, therfore won't happen.

 

[Bowside]

Brynes could speak a bit of russian apparently.

I feel this issue is bigger than Dan Parks and Michael Lipman. Will Adam Byrnes now require a marquee position as well?

There are two principles here regarding the marquee system that we should reconsider:
1. We shouldn't arbitrarily handicap our teams. No-one stops the Sharks bringing in Frederik Michelak for the tail end of last years' competition (granted he was only one so would have been permitted under Australian rules, I'm sure there are other examples).
2. If the marquee system is designed to ultimately strengthen the Wallabies, does preventing our "other Internationals" from sharing their experiences at the end of their careers achieve this goal? Is it fair to prevent Australians from working in Australia?

The rules are different in australia because we dont have a 3rd tier and as such we dont have extra depth. Every spot at every province is important as each player is only a couple of injuries away from being a wallaby.

I dont mind marque players like Nagala or cipriani or delve, who are lifting the standard of the competition and are genuine drawcards, but 34 year old dan parks is not that. Neither was anesi.

 

[EVERYFWDTHINKTHEYREA6OR7]

I worked in England for 2 years, doesn't make me a Pom.

And when he made that choice there was no rule about marquee players in Super Rugby. Do you see more value in successful Australians returning home to pass on the lessons they learnt in a career of European rugby, or should we choose to make our team less competitive by imposing arbitrary restrictions that none of our competitors do?

No if you are going to get a marquee player. Get a decent one that's going to put bums on seats or develop a youngster.

 

[mark_s]

I don’t see Parks as a marquee, just as someone who can provide late season depth to the force in a position they are already weak in given the loss of JOC (James O'Connor). I suspect they will already be out of finals running by then, but who knows?